Road-cart



(No Model.)

I. V. HICKS.

ROAD CART. No. 350,487. Patented Oct. 12, 1886-.

W721 asses,

Ina/anion I Q Y 1.212;:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IRA V. HICKS, OF KALAMAZOO, MICHIGAN.

ROAD- CART.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 350,487, dated October12, 1886.

Application filed July 12, 1886. Serial No. 207,752. (No model.)

To an whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IRA V. HIoKs, a citizen of the United States,residing at Kalamazoo," county of Kalamazoo, and State of Michigan, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Two-Wheeled Vehicles orRiding Road-Carts, of which the following is a specification, referencebeing had therein to the figures and letters of reference in theaccompanying drawings, makingpart thereof, and wherein like lettersrefer to like parts in all the figures.

The object reached by my present invention is the provision ofa light,strong, convenient, and easy-riding road-cart in the cheapest and mostcompact form possible; and these ends I attain by means of the novelconstruction and arrangement of parts hereinafter set forth, as follows:

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents aside elevation of my new roadcart,with one wheel thereof removed. Fig. 2 shows an enlarged portion incross-section taken on dotted lines 2 2, Fig. 1, detached, showing theordinary semielliptical springbar, with my peculiar manner of firmly yetflexibly supporting the riders seat, in combination with a novelconstruction and arrangement of parts, to appear presently, as in Figs.3 and 4, which are en-, larged perspective views of the seat-suspendingdevices, which engage with and enter into the foregoing and immediatelyfollowing de' scribed combination, constituting the essence of myinvention, as follows:

A represents the wheels; B, the shafts; G, theaxle, and D the spring-barand attached semi-elliptical spring heretofore employed, but which havein my improvements a novel arrangement and combination with devices nowto be particularly pointed out, to wit: Suitably pivoted to the shaftsB, as at v, are situated the downwardly-curved and recurved reachingseat-armsor bars F, on the rearinost and upwardly-curved ends of whichrests the riders seat 10. At a point about midway between the latter andthe pivoted forward ends of the bars F, and firmly fixed to the shafts BB, is situated the transverse spring-bar D, with its attached spring,provided in any of the well-known ways or forms. The seat-sup- 5oporting bars or arms F pass through and engage with links r r ofcorresponding form, which links in turn are suspended from the springends, and interlock with clips H, as

shown. (See Figs. 2, 3.) The bars F have the front bend,f, the rearbend, f, and the straight arms or seat-bearingsf The bars F, preferablyof T-shaped form for greater strength, and that .portion thereof havinga bearing in the links, I prefer to re-enforce in 6 thickness, as showninverted at c c, Fig. 4. Suitable straps, 8, provided with cross-barsfor a bottom or foot rest, ale fixed to and curved downward and upwardfrom the front to rear, respectively, of the arms F, as shown in Fig.5 1. By reason of the downwardly-curved and pivoted forward and rearwardrecurved ends of the seat-bars, the riders seat is rendered moreaccessible than heretofore, as the peculiar manner of hanging the barsor seat-arnls to the springs attains a very easy riding move-- ment ofthe seat as the vehicle passes over any inequalities of ground, and allthis at a reduced cost. of material and construction. Other advantagesaccrue to the use of this improvement, but they are so obvious to'those'skilled in the art that they need not be particularized.

I am aware that seat-supporting bars have been front-pivoted to theshafts, and therefrom sustained by a cross-spring on the crossbar; but

What I claim as new, and desire to protect by Letters Patent, is-

l. The seat-supporting bar F, madestraight 8 from the bend fto the bendf, and re-enforced at c, to adapt it to be used as described.

2. Theseat-support F, pivoted in front to the bottom of the shafts, andin the rear thereof suspended from the cross-spring a by the links 0 rand clips 75, as shown and described.

'In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 7th day of July,D1886.

IRA V. HICKS.

In presence of- CHARLES W. N OYES, WM. A. LUBY.

